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THE NEXT DAY

"You know, you should really go outside and get some fresh air. It's not like he's going anywhere... And being couped up in here for days on end isn't healthy either." Luhan looked over to the slouched girl and frowned. JongIn was just laying there and so was she, waiting for the moment that seemed so far away simply because she was paying attention to it. Laina contemplated taking a break, relaxing, letting her mind at ease but she just couldn't; there was always that thought in the back of her mind that said 'the second you leave is the second he wakes up', hence her staying rooted to the ground.

Luhan could sense the hesitation and knew the what she was thinking. But he also knew that if she stayed in there any longer, she was truly going to go crazy.

He stood up. "C'mon Laina. We're leaving." He walked over to the girl and placed his hand under her elbow, tugging her upwards.

"W-wha-?"

"No. No but's. Nothing is going to happen from the time we leave 'til the time we come back. Just for an hour, let's walk, okay?" He tried his best to be convincing while bearing the burning eyes of the taller from behind him.

"If she wants to stay, let her stay, Luhan." Chanyeol started off with lots of attitude, that of which was becoming the new normal after Lu was staying so close to his brother's girl.

Luhan rolled his eyes. "C'mon. Let's go." He tugged her arm once more and finally got her to stand up. "We can just walk around the hospital if you're more comfortable with that. My point is, you need to get some air." 

Laina looked up, contemplating. A few seconds later she hesitantly nodded her head. Maybe it would be best. Chanyeol was less than pleased when he saw her nod her head. Was she really that transparent?

"Chan?" The female's voice sounded and said boy looked up, displeased but curious. "Do you want to come with us?" This question caught everone off guard, and Luhan's eyes rivaled that of Kyungsoo's when he heard those words. He had meant for the walk to be them and only them.

The taller's eyes widened as well and a sly, cocky smile crept upon his lips at imagining how pissed Luhan would be if he came. He truly enjoyed that thought.

But, he chose against it. "I'll just stay here and watch over him." The boy didn't want to leave the room unoccupied for an extended period of time- he had a sneaking suspicion something would happen.

Luhan gently led Laina out of the hospital and traveled down the sidewalk. Comfortable silence fell and Lu snuck glances at the girl, noticing how a slight smile appeared on her face. Her skin had gotten even paler from slight malnutrition, but somehow she still looked so beautiful to the bubbly boy.

"So, Laina, you're from a different country, right?" The boy eased into conversation, wanting to get to know her better while her mind was clear.

She looked surprised. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

He laughed, and Laina found the sound somehow... comforting, intoxicating.

"You have an American accent."

The random thought struck her, and for a few seconds she was confused.

"We're in London, Laina. People that live here for a while are able to pick out an American within seconds, simply by the way they pronounce their words. You, my friend, pronounce them differently then I do." A knowing smile crossed his lips as their legs led them further along the way.

She nodded. He was right, after all.

"So... were you born here, in London?" Laina asked, suddenly curious.

Lu turned his head and stared right into the eyes of the girl. He didn't know why he did it- his body just kind of did its own thing when he was with her- yet he continued on.

"Actually, I was born in China. My family moved here when I was five, so any traces of my accent faded away when I entered school. I've been here ever since. I live on my own too." 

"Really? Why?" The girl wondered.

"Well... actually..." There was a story behind it that Luhan didn't really want to dig back up. But, he figured it could help him heal a little better if he talked to someone about it.

"When I was a senior in high school, my family got into a car accident..." He trailed off, the next part of his story was so hard to spit out that he stopped walking and stared straight at the ground.

"I-I... I was the only survivor..." The aura around the two turned dark. Instantly did the girl feel bad for asking and wished she never had.

"Luh-"

"So after that, I had to find my own job, apartment, and self again." Luhan looked up with a smile that didn't reach his eyes and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He felt guilty for dampening the mood and he was sure Laina regretted even asking, but he knew he would have to tell the story to someone one day or another. 

There was one part to his story that he was leaving out, however.

The most important part.

Luhan...

had been the driver of the car.

With only one year of driving experience, the boy was only so prepared for the road. There was no drunk driver, no j-walking pedestrians, it was just all him. All driver error. He would tell this to no one, but it was eating him inside. Eating him alive. Contsant night mares ran through his mind and images that could never be ereased never ceased to exist. Nothing could help. No pills, no therapy, nothing. 

He had been the reason for the accident that killed his parents.

And no one could help him undo that.

Pressure around his arms made him snap out of his thoughts and stare down at the arms that were wrapped around his frame.

"I'm so sorry, Luhan. I-I didn't know." Laina didn't even know where to begin.

The boy let out a soft sigh, relaxing the muscles he didn't realize had become tense.

"It's not your fault Laina. Don't you dare apologize. It's something you would have found out sooner or later. I'm fine now, alright? Don't worry about me."

She couldn't help but feel that there was something she was missing. Whether it was something from the story or from what he had just said- she wasn't sure. But it left an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nevertheless, she nodded and let go of the hug.

They both turned around and headed back to the hospital. Miscellaneous thoughts returned to the two as they walked in silence. Both had things they wanted to say, more topics they wanted to talk about, but neither wanted to interrupt the awkward atmosphere. Before they knew it, they made it to the hallway. Yells and sounds of a fight echoed through the halls and the two looked at eachother in horror.

The sounds were coming from JongIn's room.

Nurses with worried faces raced into the room with different supplies that none of them recognized.

The further they approached, the more they could hear.

Laina couldn't take the suspense anymore, running into the room and instantly noticing the chilling sound of a flatline.

The long, undisturbed beep went on and on and pierced her heart.

There were three nurses, two doctors, and one police officer in the room.

The only thing Laina could do was watch.

Helplessly.

"Someone unplugged his life support! Hurry, we need the difribillator, NOW!!" One of the nurses yelled.

"Park Chanyeol,"

"I-"

"you are under-"

"I didn't do-!"

"arrest for"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" A strained voice screamed as he felt cold metal wrap around his wrists.

"the attempted murder of Kim JongIn." The police officer said firmly as the last click of the handcuffs closed around the struggling boy's wrist.